OlanzaBLOAT

[Unicorn23]

I’ve been on olanzapine for my pp since April of last year. I tried aripriprizole briefly but went back to olanzapine. It works super well for me except I gain a lot of weight on it which makes me upset. I’ve tried watching what I eat and exercise regularly but still am overweight. Does anyone have any recommendations or has anyone tried metformin? I’m breastfeeding still so I’m not sure if that’s even an option.

[Ellie_at_APP Partner]

Hi Unicorn23

Welcome to the forum. I'm so glad you've found us and reached out here.

I am on Olanzapine at the moment too, and yes, it's made me gain weight. But really thankful for it as I was very poorly, and it was very effective dealing with the psychotic symptoms. I find I am craving the sugary / carbohydrate foods a lot and it's hard to resist!

I'm not sure what else to say, as it sounds like you're doing even better than I am, watching what you eat as you say, and exercising regularly. I definitely need to exercise more, I find it hard to find the motivation and the time.

I hope others may be able to share their tips of what helped them too. I'm sure you'll find you're not alone with it.

Take care Ellie

[Maria_at_APP Moderator]

Hi Unicorn23,

I sympathise with you and the weight gain with olanzapine. The cravings for sweet and comfort food are quite significant. I was overweight when I was on a higher dose of olanzapine than I am at the moment. Calorie counting helped me to loose weight when the dosage of olanzapine was at 5 or 2.5 mg. I found very little time to exercise then, I went for walks at drop off and pick up if those count, but I assumed I was not burning much through it. I found soups a very good alternative at lunches, it's something I crave in the winter and they tend to be quite low in calories. I also allowed myself some leeway on the weekend and I think that was key on helping me stick to the plan for longer. I am not a person that sticks to one activity for very long

Like Ellie, I found the effectiveness of olanzapine outweighed the cons, and the side effects reduced significantly at lower doses for me. You are doing already quite a lot, by minding what you are eating and exercising, turn with kindness towards yourself, you are definitely not alone in this and it is very normal to gain weight while on this medication.

Maria

[Antitodo]

Hi Unicorn23,

Can I ask what dose of Olanzapine are you on? Also, do you have a plan to wean off it with your psychiatrist? I don't think there's much you can do about the weight gain with Olanzapine, other than lowering your medication or stopping altogether.

Are you still struggling with your mental health? If you aren't and have been stable for months, it should be safe to slowly stop taking it.

Good luck!

[Unicorn23]

I tried coming down from 5 to 2.5 on my own but started having symptoms come back after 5 days and my family told me I was acting strange (hypo manic) prior to me lowering the dose. Obviously that was really scary and worried me so I went back to 5mg. I’m meeting with the consultant next week to discus. Maybe trying another medicine again. I’ve been on medicine since April so was hoping to be able to get off them soon.

[Ellie_at_APP Partner]

Hi Unicorn23

That's good you've got a consultant appointment next week, I hope that's helpful. I think when I was on Olanzapine with the PP I was on it for about 12 months, but did start reducing over that time. I found it was something I needed to do gradually and carefully, with the psychiatrist support and advice.

Take care,

Ellie

[yougotthis1 Volunteer]

Hi Unicorn23 ,

I completely relate to this! Had significant weight gain from Olanzapine and it is really hard.

My best tip is to not have temptations in the house;

- have healthy snacks ready to go to when you’re hungry (high protein and lots of fruit and veg e.g. carrot sticks and hummus, protein shakes etc.)

- meal plan as much as you can and make a shopping list

- get someone else to do the shopping for you or online shop if you can and stick to the list

- find other non-food treats to give yourself that comfort and dopamine hit e.g. listening to your favourite song and dancing

And most of all remember to be kind to yourself, your weight doesn’t determine your value as a person. Don’t beat yourself up about your weight, you are so much more than a number on the scale.

Wishing you luck!